A Qatar Airways flight QR068 from Madrid to Doha has been delayed in the Spanish capital for full safety checks following a technical problem with one of its brakes.
The incident happened at 2248 hrs (Spanish local time) last night. The aircraft was due to arrive at Doha International Airport early this morning (September 9) at 0635 hrs (Qatar local time).
The aircraft, an Airbus A300 with 207 passengers and 13 crew onboard, suffered overheating of a brake as it returned to the stand shortly after push back at Barajas International Airport in Madrid.
As per normal procedures, in the interests of the safety of all those on board, the captain declared an emergency and ordered an evacuation of all passengers and crew. One passenger and one crew member were slightly injured during the evacuation and were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Qatar Airways is working closely with the appropriate authorities to determine the cause of the incident. The aircraft is undergoing a full safety check and will only depart Madrid once the airline and authorities deem it is fit to do so.
Qatar Airways staff in Madrid worked quickly to transport all passengers and crew to a local hotel where they were accommodated overnight before being re-routed on alternative flights to their final destination.
Doha-based Qatar Airways will operate a fleet of 110 aircraft by 2013 – almost double the existing size. Qatar Airways has ordered 80 Airbus A350s, 60 Boeing 787s and 32 Boeing 777s, with deliveries of the latter having started in November 2007. The airline is a launch customer of the twin-deck Airbus A380 ‘super jumbos’ with five aircraft on order and scheduled for delivery from 2010. Qatar Airways moves to the New Doha International Airport in 2010, when the first phase of the new facility opens. For more information, visit www.ndiaproject.com
Qatar Airways is one of only six airlines in the world with a Five Star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring agency. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fifth year running in 2007 following a survey of more than 15 million passengers worldwide. For more information, log onto www.qatarairways.com
Qatar Airways Corporate Communications
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E-mail: qrmedia@qatarairways.com.qa